3 Ventilation Options That Can Help Cool Your Home

May 14, 2015
By
Roth Heating & Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical

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A good home ventilation system can greatly reduce or even eliminate your
reliance on an air conditioner for cooling in your Portland home. This
can dramatically lower utility bills. Here are three home ventilation
options to consider to help keep your home cool without spending too much.

Natural Ventilation

By opening windows in your home during the cooler morning and evening hours,
you can let the wind naturally cool your home. Open windows on the shady
side of your home to draw in cool air and open windows on the opposite
side to create a cross-breeze. In homes with multiple stories, open windows
on each floor, allowing hot air to rise and exit out of the upper windows
while cooler air is naturally drawn in from the lower windows to replace
it. Close the windows during the heat of the day to retain the cool air.

Ceiling and Portable Fans

In combination with natural ventilation or even with air conditioning,
fans can help you feel cooler at the same temperature. Install ceiling
fans in common areas such as the living room, and use portable fans for
individual cooling. To improve natural ventilation, use box fans in windows
on the opposite sides of your home, with one exhausting air and one drawing
air in, which will create a stronger cross-breeze. Because fans make you
feel cooler by drawing away perspiration, not by actually cooling the
air, you should turn off fans when you leave the room to save energy.

Whole-House Fans

Whole-house fans are typically installed in the floor of the attic and
through the ceiling below, allowing them to draw hot air out of the home
and exhaust it through the attic vents. Cool air is then drawn in through
open windows to replace the exhausted air. Whole-house fans move large
volumes of air and can sometimes replace an air conditioner in cooler
areas while using less than 25 percent of the energy.

For more information about home ventilation options, talk to our HVAC experts
at Roth Heating and Cooling. We proudly serve the Portland area.